Liquid container and dispenser



March 26, 1957 c. D. DUSHEK ET AL 2,786,605

LIQUID CONTAINER AND DISPENSER 2 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed June 29. 1955 Inz/zz for CizarZes flDaJZzeZ oZzzgeZoZ. moniezZa March 1957 c. D. DUSHEKET AL 2,786,606

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LIQUID CONTAHNER AND DISPENSER Charles D. Dushek, Lyle, and Angelo R.Montella, Oak Park, 11%., assignors to General Electric Company, acorporation of New York Application June 29, 1955, Serial No. 518,794

5 Claims. (Cl.,222.--15.6)

This invention relates to a liquid container and dispenser for useprimarily in household refrigerators.

It is now quite popular to provide domestic refrigerators with drinkingwater or fruit juice reservoirs and dispensers. Generally speaking, thecontemporary devices include a tank arranged for removal for filling andcleaning, and valve means for drawing oil the desired amount of liquid.In practice, devices of this type have been subject to the criticismthat the valve mechanisms leak, have been difiicuit to sterilize, andthe parts thereof subject to corrosion in use, or distortion duringcleaning or sterilization by hot water. Withreservoirs used for fruitjuices, it has been found that the valve ports and other flow passagesmay become clogged by reason of the pulp and/ or sugar content of thejuice. The gauge glasses, float-actuated indicators, or the like, usedto disclose the level of the contents of the reservoirs have beensubject to leakage or mechanical derangement.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable containerfor liquids having adischarge or drawolf device which is devoid ofport-closing devices or other valving mechanisms.

It is another object of the invention to provide a container anddispenser for liquids in which the dispensing mechanism may besterilized without damage thereto.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a reservoir anddispenser for liquids in which the dispensing device constitutes theliquid level gauge.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a reservoir anddispenser for liquids, in which the discharge opening is effectivelyshielded against dirt contamination when in non-dispensing position andyet is open for full flow therefrom when brought to dispensing position.

In a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, the front wall ofa tank orreservoir and the front wall of a removable cover therefor areformed with relatively deep channels which cooperate to provide a singlevertical channel extending the full heightof the tank and assembledcover. The channel affordsa protective housing for a dispenser casingwhich is removably pivotally affixed to the tank at the lower front edgeportion thereof. The dispenser casing is arranged to be swung between asubstantially vertical position in which it is fully contained withinthe channel in relatively closely fitting relation therewith and asubstantially horizontal position representing the maximum liquiddispensing position. A front wall of the casing is provided with avertically extending slot extending from nearthe bottom of the casing toa point substantially corresponding with the upper edge of the fronttankwall. A flexible tube of transparent material, such as a transparentpolyvinyl, is fixed to a discharge spud at the bottom of the front wallof the reservoir and extends freely up through the dispenser casingimmediately behind the said vertical opening therein. The level ofliquidin the tube is visible through the open slot. The free endof-thecasing has a capped pouring spout and the open endof the tubereaches upwithin said capped end to alevel well above the maximum posnited StatesPatent 2,786,606 Patented Mar. 26, 1957 2 sible liquid level of thereservoir when the casing is in its home position within the verticalchannel. The roof of the capped opening relatively closely overlies theopen end of the tube when the casing is in home position, to protect thepouring edge thereof against dirt.

To draw liquid from the storage tank, it is only necessary for theoperator suitably to position a glass relative to the dispenser casing,and, by grasping the casing at its cap portion, rotate it downwardlytoward the glass. It is a feature of the invention that during thedownward movement of the casing there is a displacement of the casingrelative to the tube, whereupon the open end of the tube withdraws fromthe capped end of the casing to a position within the pouring spoutportion thereof. The liquid thus pours freely into the-glass. When thedesired amount of liquid has been drawn, the operator returns the casingto its home position and, during such return travel, the flow stops asdictated by the level of liquid in the reservoir. With the dispenser inhome position, the open end of the tube is again protected within thecapped end of the casing. i

Other features and advantages will be apparent from the followingdetailed description of a presently preferred embodiment of theinvention, illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which:

F ig. l is a front perspective view of a liquid reservoir and dispenserembodying the invention, the dispenser being in home position;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the method of drawingliquid from the reservoir;

Fig. 3 is a partial side sectional elevation of the front portion of thereservoir and the dispenser, showing in broken line .an intermediateposition of the dispenser; and

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3, but showing the dispenser in maximumoperative position.

Fig. 1 illustrates the reservoir and dispenser in form suitable forplacing on the shelf S of a refrigerator or the like. The dimensionalrelationships of width to height and length are not important; .for'example, a narrower, higher receptacle would adapt itself to support onthe inner liner ,of the refrigerator door .(not shown) or on an innerside wall of the refrigerator cabinet (not shown). In any event, thereservoir comprises a rectangular tank 2 of suitable capacity-forexample, two quartsh aving a snug-fitting ventilated cover 3.Advantageously, the tank and cover are moulded from suitableiplasticmaterials and the cover, at least, is preferably of a transparentplastic. The front wall 4 of the tank and the front wall 5 of the coverare each provided with an inwardly directed channel, respectively 6, 7;and as clearly appears in Fig. 2, when the cover is .in position on thetank, the two channels align to provide a continuous channel. The frontof the bottom wall 8 of the tank is configurated to provide a pocket 9which, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, comprises a rearwardly extendingbranch of channel 6. s

The lower front walllitof the tank 2 is provided with a tubular spud 11which is cemented or otherwise permanently secured to the reservoir at alow point thereof. Said spud 11 receives a transparent, flexible,plastic tube 1.2 ,in liquid tight relationship therewith. Desirably, thetube 12 and, of course, the spud 11, are oval in shape with the majoraxis of the oval extending parallel to the bottom wall 8 of the tank.The free end of tube 12 is siidably contained within ahollow dispensercasing 14. The casing 14 is essentially a hollow rectangnlar structureof such shape and dimensions as to enable it snugly to fit withintherespective channels fiand'jlwhen the tube is in its vertical homeposition, as illustrated in' Fig l. Th eas n i t i ad si a slr .p t e fed a in da a w no in 1 t h lana an 9 1h? eas n .1418

capped as at 15, and immediately below said cap, is provided with apreferably triangular pouring spout 16. As best shown in Fig. 3, thecasing 14 extends above the top of the cover and is provided with arearwardly extending portion 17 which the operator may grasp to move thecasing relative to the tank.

A pivot pin extends between the side walls of the channel 6, and isnon-rotatably secured thereto. Said pin preferably has a cylindricalupper portion 18 and a rib 19 extending downwardly therefrom. Theforward surface of the rib, considered with respect to the wall of thetank, is slightly forward of the axis of the upper portion 18. Thebottom of each side Wall of casing 14 is formed with an open-endedarcuate slot 20, by means of which the casing is rotatably supported onthe cylindrical portion 18 of the pivot pin. The front transverse wallportion 21 of the casing extends downwardly relative to the pivot pin toa point that when the casing 14 is rotated downwardly through a briefarcfor example, the first thirty degrees of its movement to dispensingposition, the bottom edge of the wall portion 21 will engage the surface19, providing a new pivot point which will displace the casing afraction of an inch forwardly of the tank as it is brought to dispensingposition. There is thus a relative displacement of the casing 14 andtube 12 to withdraw the open end of the tube from the concealment of thecap to a free pouring position at the pouring spout.

A stud 22 is fixed to the wall 23 of the pocket 9, near each side wallof channel 6. Each stud anchors a spring 24, which extends to a hook 25carried by the front wall of casing 14 near the side edges thereof.

As indicated in Fig. 1, the tube 12 has aproximately the width of theinside wall-to-wall dimension of the upper portion of the dispensercasing 14, and the hook members 25 are positioned relatively closely oneach side of the tube near the lower portion of the casing. The frontend portions of the spring 24, as viewed in Fig. 3, serve to limit anysideward displacement of the tube 12. When the casing 14 is to beassembled to the tank, the tube 12 is passed through the open end 26 ofthe casing, the casing placed on the pivot rod 18, and the springsextended and hooked to the respective hook elements 25. The springs aredesigned to be relatively sof so as to exert only enough effort on thecasing 14 to hold it in its home position.

As the oval tube 12 bends during the upward rotation of the casing 14,the tube will tend to collapse in approximately the area indicated at27. The restriction afforded by such contraction is advantageous. Forexample, if the device has been removed from the refrigerator and filledto the maximum level indicated by the line L, Fig. 3, there is thepossibility that the liquid may slosh about within the tank as thedevice is being returned to the refrigerator. The liquid, of course,occupies the tube 12 to the level L. The restriction at 27 minimizes thespurting of liquid from the tube 12 which might otherwise occur byreason of surging in an unobstructed tube. When the casing is in itshome position, the front wall opening 28 thereof exposes the transparenttube 12, whereby the liquid in the tank is readily ascertainable. Thecap 15 of said casing and, particularly the overhanging end 29 thereof,protects the open end of the tube 12 against dirt contamination.

When the user wishes to draw a quantity of liquid into a glass or thelike, he holds the glass G at the notch 30 at the base of the triangularpouring spout 16, and with the free hand grasps the end of the casing 14and draws it downwardly. As the casing rotates about pin 18, theengagement of the end of wall portion 21 with leg 19 moves the casingforwardly relative to the tank 1 and the tube 12, as shown in Fig. 3.This movement, plus the displacement of tube 12 within the casing,withdraws the open end of the tube from the capped end of the casing. Asthe open end of the tube 12 reaches the level L of the contents of thetank, as indicated in broken line in Fig. 3, the displacement of thetube 12 relative to the closed end of the casing is such that liquidcommencing to pour from the tube will flow cleanly through the pouringspout into the glass G. Continued downward movement of the casing maybring the casing and tube to the Fig. 4 position, in which the full flowof liquid through the tube is attained. After the desired quantity ofliquid has been drawn, the user returns the casing to its home position,preferably maintaining the glass in position beneath the pouring spout.

It is obvious that the device may be thoroughly cleaned. The passage ofhot water through the tube 12 has no damaging effect thereon, for thereare no valve parts to become distorted by the elevated watertemperature. Also, there are no mechanisms which may he corroded bysterilizing fluids. A bristle brush (not shown) may be passed throughthe tube without difficulty. If necessary, the casing 14 may be detachedfrom the tank to permit the interior of the casing to be sanitized.

While there has ben described what is at present con sidered to be thepreferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood thatvarious modifications may be made therein, and it is intended to coverin the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the truespirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A liquid container and dispenser, comprising a tank having aremovable cover, a front wall of said tank and said cover each beingprovided with a relatively deep channel which come into mutual alignmentto provide a continuous channel when the cover is placed on said tank, ahollow casing member pivotally mounted at one end within said channel atthe base thereof for movement between an upright position in which saidcasing member substantially completely fills said channel and adispensing position in which said casing member projects angularlyforward of said tank, the free end of said casing member being closedand the front of said casing member having wall means defining a pouringspout portion beneath said closed end, the length of said casing memberbeing such that with said casing member in upright position within saidchannel the closed end of said casing member is well above the maximumliquid level in said tank, a flexible, open-ended, tube secured to saidtank in communication with the bottom portion thereof rearwardly of saidchannel, said tube passing slidably through said casing whereby saidtube is moved by said casing between upright and dispensing positions,the length of said tube being such that with the casing in its uprightposition the open free end of said tube is enclosed by the closed end ofsaid casing and above the maximum liquid :level in said tank, and meansfor effecting the withdrawal of said open free end from said closed endof the easing into the pouring spout portion thereof for discharge ofliquid therethrough as the casing and associated tube are rotated intodispensing position.

2. A liquid container and dispenser according to claim 1, in which saidtube has a transparent front wall and the adjacent front wall of saidcasing has a longitudinal slot behind which said transparent tube Wallis visible, whereby when the oasing is in its said upright position, thelevel of liquid in the tank is ascertainable by observation of theliquid level in said tube.

3. A liquid container and dispenser, comprising a tank, a hollow casingmember pivotally mounted at one end to said tank at the base thereof formovement between an upright position and a dispensing position in whichsaid casing member projects angularly forward of said tank, the free endof said casing member being closed and the front wall of said casingmember having a pouring spout immediately below said closed end, thelength of said casing member from the pivot point to the closed end[thereof being such that said closed end is above the maximum liquidlevel of said tank when the casing member is in upright position, meansestablishing a first and a second pivot relationship between said casingand said tank, said second relationship becoming effective after saidcasing has traversed a portion of its swingf between upright anddispensing positions, said second pivot relationship displacing saidcasing forwardly of said tank, and a flexible, open-ended tube securedto said tank in communication with the bottom portion thereof rear-Wardly of said casing member, said tube passing slidably through saidcasing member for movement thereby between upright and dispensingpositions, the length of said tube being :such that with the casing inits upright position, the open free end of said tube is enclosed by theclosed upper end of said casing member and the amount of displacement ofsaid casing member being such during its aforesaid movement that theopen end of said tube is brought from within said closed end intoposition to discharge through said pouring spout.

4. A liquid container and dispenser according to claim 3, in which saidfirst pivot comprises a cylindrical pivot bar engaged by arcuate wallportions of said casing member, and said second pivot comprises a ribbelow said bar and forwardly thereof, said rib being engageable by atransverse wall portion of said casing member as said casing member isrotated downwardly about said pivot bar.

5. A liquid container and dispenser according to claim 3, having springmeans connected respectively to said tank and said casing member to urgethe latter into an upright position relative to said tank.

Edelmann Aug. 25, 1936 Smith July 25, 1950

